Dozens killed and wounded in US airstrikes targeting Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters in Iraq

The Anbar province in western Iraq witnessed a bloody military escalation, as American warplanes launched a series of raids targeting three headquarters belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces. Security sources reported that the attack resulted in the death of about 30 people and the injury of 50 others, in an initial toll that is likely to rise due to the severity of the injuries.

The airstrikes focused on the border district of Al-Qaim, where the targeted sites were completely destroyed due to the intense bombing. Ambulances rushed to the scenes of the explosions to retrieve the victims and transport the wounded to nearby hospitals, amidst a state of widespread security alert in the region.

In a simultaneous development, another Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters in the city of Kirkuk, northern Iraq, was subjected to an airstrike on Thursday morning. Field sources confirmed that the bombing led to the death of at least two elements and a massive fire at the site, while rescue teams continue search operations under the rubble.

The sources indicated that security forces imposed a tight cordon around the targeted site in Kirkuk, specifically in areas near the city's airport. These movements come amid fears of renewed attacks or an expansion of the scope of air targeting to include other military sites.

Reports indicate that this escalation comes in the context of increasing tensions that the region has witnessed since late last February. Several headquarters belonging to Iraqi factions have been subjected to scattered strikes in recent weeks, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries among their ranks.

According to available data, the number of deaths among faction members since the start of the latest wave of escalation exceeded 22 elements before the last attack. These figures reflect the scale of the direct confrontation that the Iraqi arena has become a stage for between regional and international powers.

The Popular Mobilization Forces are an official part of the Iraqi military system since their integration by government decision, after their role in the battles against the Islamic State organization in 2014. However, some brigades within the authority maintain close ties with regional powers and operate within the framework of what is known as the Islamic Resistance.

These factions adopt periodic attacks using drones and missiles, targeting what they describe as enemy bases in the region. These movements put the Iraqi government in an awkward position, as it tries to balance its international obligations and its national sovereignty over its territories.

Iraq has been living for years in a state of political and military tug-of-war as a main arena for competition between Washington and Tehran. Baghdad is striving to maintain a delicate balance that spares the country from sliding into an open conflict whose results or repercussions it cannot control.

With the regional fronts ablaze, the Iraqi authorities found themselves at the heart of a wide-ranging conflict that transcends its geographical borders. Despite the extent of the destruction and casualties, the parties carrying out the strikes often maintain official silence, which further complicates the political and security landscape.

Medical sources in Anbar confirm that most of the injured in the recent attack suffer from severe wounds and severe burns. Medical staff are working at full capacity to deal with the influx of wounded, amid a shortage of capabilities in some border health centers that received the first cases.

The Iraqi street remains in anticipation, awaiting official reactions from the government and political forces. These attacks are expected to spark a new wave of demands to end the foreign military presence in the country, and to intensify efforts to protect national sovereignty from repeated violations.

The airstrikes caused extensive damage to the targeted headquarters, and rescue operations are still ongoing to save the injured, most of whom are described as being in critical condition.